Short stories about the lives of the residents of Camden Corners. A village in Upstate New York at the beginning of the 20th Century. You will meet old friends time and again and new friends and neighbors with each story. Share the many tales of love, romance, family and friends as well as a few mysteries thrown in for good measure.
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Friday, January 20, 2012

Mistaken Identity ~ Part 2 of 4

Eloise
thought Bethany would be alone and was surprised when that sniveling
little Gertie was gaping at her. Eloise was not happy and took it
out on Gertie while she cowered in the corner. Eloise told her to be
quiet and she wouldn't get hurt. With all the strength Gertie had in
her frail little body, she picked up her umbrella and started
striking Eloise on the head. In one move Eloise grabbed the
umbrella and tossed it to the other side of the room with Gertie
still clinging to it. Gertie's arm was terribly bruised but she
didn't let the pain stop her from trying again to stop Eloise from
harming her friend. Bethany grabbed Eloise by the arm and paid for
the gesture by receiving a painful blow to the side of her head.
Bethany passed out at that point while Eloise slipped off her fancy
dress and put an old patched up garment on her. What did it matter
what she wore, she would be dead anyway if someone found her before
the buzzards did.

Gertie
watched in horror as Eloise picked up Bethany's limp body and tossed
her like a sack of potatoes from the train. The last thing Gertie
saw before fainting dead away was a sign that said “Now Leaving
Camden Corners”.

Eloise
donned one of Bethany's beautiful dresses and fixed her hair with
Bethany's combs. She was lucky that she and Bethany were the same
size and had the same hair color. She looked in the mirror and was
very pleased with her appearance. She knew that the new Bethany
Howell was much more beautiful than the old Bethany Howell and she
was out to impress the world with her new found money.

What
Eloise didn't realize was that she would not have access to Bethany's
wealth until Bethany turned 18. Could she keep up this charade for
the next 7 years. Well, she was going to have to but at least she
could enjoy all the things money can buy while she waited.

Gertie
woke up from her stupor and cried uncontrollably at the fate of her
dear friend. She had always known Eloise was evil but never realized
how evil she was until that day. Gertie knew what Eloise had planned
and she would not let her get away with it. She would tell the
conductor what happened and he would stop the train and go back to
find Bethany. Eloise would go to prison for what she did even though
she was still a child herself.

Eloise
could see the look of hate in Gertie's eyes and told her not to even
think about reporting the accident or hers would be the next body to
be found by the buzzards. Not only that, Eloise would find her way
back to Boston and kill Gertie's little brother and sister.

Gertie
knew she had to keep quiet for now but she willed herself to be
strong. She would avenge Bethany's murder. It might take years but
she would do it.

Aunt
Isabelle welcomed Bethany and her friend Gertie into her home.

“Bethany
is pretty,” she thought, “but she looks so different than I
remember her. Her lovely honey color hair is the same and although
she seems to have a hard streak in her it is probably because she
just lost her parents. Gertie, on the other hand, is very sweet and
gentle although it seems she is a frightened little waif.

The
years went on and Eloise was just as sour as she had been the day she
walked into Aunt Isabelle's house. She was terse with the servants
and treated Aunt Isabelle like a senile old lady. All she could talk
about was the fact that all the money would be hers soon and she
wouldn't need Aunt Isabelle any longer.

Gertie
had grown taller and stronger. The day of Bethany's murder still
haunted her. She was determined to find a way to outsmart Eloise
before she got her hands on any more of Bethany's money. She had
come to love Aunt Isabelle and took comfort in the fact that Bethany
had inherited many of the older woman's good qualities.

Gertie
had taken pleasure in reading the daily newspaper to Aunt Isabelle.
Isabelle's eyesight wasn't what it use to be and she enjoyed this
time with Gertie as much as Gertie enjoyed being with dear Aunt
Isabelle. There was a small article on the second last page.

Mystery
girl found near railroad tracks in Camden Corners, New York.
Authorities determined she had been a stowaway on the train headed to
St. Louis. She suffers from a head injury and cannot remember even
her name although she was wearing a child's handmade bracelet with
the letter B on it.

Aunt
Isabelle had dozed off and didn't see the light come back into
Gertie's eyes. She knew her dear friend was alive and being cared
for. She wanted to shout it to the rooftops but knew Eloise would
find a way to get to Bethany and finish the job so Gertie remained
silent. Gertie had become friendly with Sheriff Dingle and his
deputy Hal Lawson. She had come close to telling them the whole
story before she stopped herself for fear Eloise would be true to her
promise of hurting her brother and sister.